A United Heart

Teach me thy way, O LORD;

I will walk in thy truth:

unite my heart to fear thy name.

(Psalm 86:11)

Most of this verse is simple in language and easy to understand. I stumbled a little at the word unite. What does it mean here? I looked up the Hebrew equivalent, and it means “unify; join.” Okay, but what is a unified heart or a joined heart? Commentators have several ideas about this word in the context of this verse. It can mean a “completely dedicated” heart or a heart with “undivided loyalty.” I thought of “single-heartedness,” something like single-minded.

In any case, the psalmist profoundly states his desires. This verse is his prayer:

            Teach me Your way.

            I resolve to walk in Your Truth.

            I want a heart that is wholly dedicated to respecting and following You.

Are the psalmist’s desires our desires?

            Do we really want to be taught what God wants us to do?

            Have we ever resolved (promised ourselves) to walk in the Truth (the Bible)?

            Do we have an “undivided” heart to respect and follow God?

In my counseling experience, I have found many women who want to do right. “Oh yes, I want to.” But, they don’t really want to be taught—not by God and not by anyone else either. They have never made a conscious decision to follow and know Truth. They don’t have time for God’s Word, don’t pray, and then they wonder why they’re having such a hard time grasping Truth. They have divided hearts. Part of them wants to do what everyone else does—follow “fun.” And, part of them really wants to follow God, but they’re not fully dedicated (united hearted) to it. Unfortunately, these ladies will always flounder spiritually.

I’ve also counseled women and girls who would say a hearty Amen to the psalmist’s three desires in this short verse. They are growing and changing. And they’re some of the happiest people I know.

May we all have undivided hearts!